2021 In Between Grand Slam Thread

02-11-2021 11:05PM

it's game on between Djokovic and Fucsovics

Back on serve in the final set 3-2

Solid robust player Fucsovics who has a game that can trouble Djokovic

But Djokovic comes through as the difference in class tells eventually.

03-11-2021 01:19PM

Just watching Musetti there losing against the unheralded journeyman Duckworth

Have rarely seen such a half-hearted player on the ATP

I called it when Musetti just quit on the court against Djokovic at Roland Garros that he wouldn't go far, despite protestations here I recall

Since that he has done absolutely nothing, going out in the first or second round wherever he goes

It later turned out of course that he had in fact, quit for no reason other than he just felt like it

https://tennishead.net/musetti-retired-because-couldnt-win-a-point-musetti-admits-he-was-not-injured-against-djokovic/

Big job for a sports psychologist right there

03-11-2021 07:57PM

Alcaraz beats Sinner (who had broken into the ATP Top 10 this week at a younger age than Federer).

Alcaraz got lucky in the first set tie-break with some net-cord help but he got there after coming back from a break down. Big composure on the big points in evidence again.

Such variety in his play also.

The movement of Alcaraz took Sinner's net game out of the equation effectively and forced him to force the baseline shots so he missed more.

Alcaraz is perturbing for opponents in terms of how quickly he can get around the court and disrupts their normal game plan.

When he gets around to developing a good serve he will be a beast.

Future of men's tennis is assured with Alcaraz around in any case.

He's the genuine article, no flash-in-the-pan.

Would love to see him come up against Djokovic when he has his serve in order, before Djokovic fades too much.

yerwanthere123 · 03-11-2021 10:24PM

It's a bit disappointing that Alcaraz-Sinner weren't put on Centre Court. You'd think given the fears about men's tennis when the big 3 retire they'd have hyped this one up to the max.

I know it's easy to say this about any young up and coming player when they're breaking through and playing without fear, but he really does look like he'll be around for a long time to come. At this very early stage I think he'll have a better career than Sinner, just got bigger weapons with more variety too.

04-11-2021 06:27PM

Zverev doing a Medvedev New York 2019 on the Bercy crowd.

Bring it on gestures etc

I know of someone who won't approve

His NOT No.1 fan.

She'd have a whale of a time if he lost.

Dimitrov blew 7 break points in the third set.

Truly a baby Fed in that regard.

Zverev converted his one.

https://i.imgur.com/aLHyALn.png

yerwanthere123 · 04-11-2021 10:50PM

F*cking hell. We've gone from obsessing over the lineswoman who got struck in the throat last year, to Naomi Osaka and now Catherine Whitaker, complete with weight jibes. Such sad stuff, why isn't this thread moderated any more 😭

Anyway, interesting match between Korda and Medvedev there. Korda obviously a great prospect but not yet experienced enough to hang with players like Medvedev in longer rallies on slow courts. I hope he's a factor going forward though.

Alcaraz and Gaston coming up now, will be interesting to see how Alcaraz handles the crowd. Although he overcame Herbert in the first round so he does have some experience this week already.

04-11-2021 11:10PM

Well she's not afraid to throw her opinions about on players so as an ever-increasing presence as a public figure she is not immune to comment herself!

That's the way it works for precisely any person in the media.

If Sharon Ní Bheoláin appeared on the news looking like someone who ate her sister it wouldn't escape comment.

05-11-2021 12:03AM

Some great points in the Alcaraz - Gaston match

Tough crowd literally and Gaston is so fast

Not your typical tennis match

yerwanthere123 · 05-11-2021 12:39AM

Um, so yeah. After being up 5-0 in the second set, Alcaraz loses it 5-7, including a streak of 17 consecutive lost points. Gaston wins 6-4 7-5. Hopefully a tough lesson that he'll be able to learn from and not something that'll linger in the mind.

05-11-2021 12:47AM

Tough day at the office for Alcaraz

The entire crowd pretty much cheering your every missed serve, nevermind shot not easy for sure especially not having faced anything like that before

Even the New York crowd at their worst don't get that bad!

They got him

Gaston is an interesting player but Medved will tear him apart most likely in the next round

Medvedev is well-versed in handling home crowds

Probably will work out an experience that will stand to him for Alcaraz in the long run that Ferrer will debrief him on

05-11-2021 07:46PM

Good response

He'll never lose to Gaston in his career ever again I will predict

Hope the octopus / giraffe Medvedev shuts up the frogs this evening

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV5DOw8qmsh/

yerwanthere123 · 05-11-2021 08:32PM

The French crowd lustily cheering missed first serves 😬

05-11-2021 08:54PM

Medved hitting 80% FS so not much net cheefing and Gaston couldn't put his foot on the piston to take his chances in the first set - had 2 set points and netted a couple of drop shots when it would have been better to play the percentage

Now a break up in set 2 it's hard to see Gaston getting back in

Medved showing how to deal with the crowd by setting his own pace of doing things

Big serve very useful on these occasions

Alcaraz will have to pose more of a threat in that area

Double break

She'd be safe to break into song in the Amazon studio

lostcat · 05-11-2021 09:28PM

that second set was good fun

05-11-2021 09:31PM

That crowd are brutal

Far worse than RG at its worst because it's indoors

Don't know how Medvedev managed to get over the line there in that "atmosphere"

Glad he did it

yerwanthere123 · 05-11-2021 11:11PM

Medvedev must be one of the most experienced now at getting through awful crowds, at least in recent times anyway. Bloody hell.

05-11-2021 11:33PM

3 Top 4 Seeds and 4 Top 8 Seeds in the semis.

Love to see it.

06-11-2021 03:30PM

"That's how many fooks I give"

Medvedev pictured last night just after beating the French crowd (and Gaston)

A new celebration never seen before from him

Speculation that it's some sort of Russian "screw you" involving an elephant joke with the pockets being the ears and the trunk well ... you know.

Said that it was an "in-joke" when asked but refused to elaborate!

06-11-2021 04:33PM

Wow, a real nail-biter of a match between Djokovic and Hurkacz but Djokovic did it - amazing that he can still do it and by playing so few tournaments

Serious pressure in the tie-break and Hurkacz was a beast at the net and serving big and pushed Djokovic all the way but you just can't bet against Djokovic coming through these high-level encounters when it's a close match

1 match point, job done

He now breaks the record that he shared with Sampras - will now have 7 years as year-end world number 1

That's why that match was so big

Sampras had it all his own way with 6 years in a row whereas Djokovic had to face much greater competition to do this

Could be a harder record to beat than 20 slams even

(also has most wins as ATP No.1 now too - another Fed record gone)

06-11-2021 06:32PM

"Meddy" dispatches Zverev with aplomb

Will Djokovic be able to give him a match tomorrow?

Could go either way - Djokovic might just be relieved to get the year-end record and not be as up for it - hard to tell?

Mightn't be able to match "The Octopus" even if he is up for it.

He should have a lot more in the legs than in the US Open final in any case.

TomSweeney · 07-11-2021 03:28PM

And thats that .. well done Medvedev ..

Sad, playing just enough to get you by works via Fritz,Fucsovics, Hurcasz etc ... might have even worked v Zverev.

But not against this beast Medvedev.

There goes AO defense too ... that's assuming they even allow him enter the country ...

07-11-2021 03:35PM

Great match so far - break and break back, it's on serve

Medvedev is such a unique player - he has a completely unorthodox style

He looks so awkward, his shots look so awkward but a great player - has a very similar style to Djokovic in terms of will wait patiently in a rally

Huge reach from anywhere

Big serve

Medvedev favourite here for sure as I said before the match

Hopefully the quality continues in it to the end.

07-11-2021 04:00PM

Medved takes the set

Tough to see Djokovic winning now without something special and I'm sure he is the zone even to do it having got the 7 Year-End No.1 record - Medved is as good a consistent and effective defender as Djokovic and has a bigger serve and that reach

As the commentators said - Nadal hasn't won 1 set against Djokovic on a hard court in 19 sets, Medved has won 4 in a row against him

07-11-2021 04:24PM

Djokovic breaks.

Can he follow it up.

Some quality really. From both players.

It's a bit sad that a quite a few people don't understand the quality of Djokovic's play.

His pure technique, movement, reading of the game, shot selection and defence ability to make the opponent play that "one more ball" when 99% of others would have already lost the rally is astounding.

07-11-2021 04:48PM

WHAT A GAME to take that second set

Djokovic hit a couple of outs but the sheer quality and courage of those multiple volley winners from Djokovic in that game were as good as anything someone like Federer has ever done at the net.

Medvedev is able to Djokovic the Djokovic - still have Medved favourite here in the third but superb tennis.

Having the balls and ability to try to come up with a solution to him and take that second set though was amazing stuff.

No other player would have taken that set from Medved there.

07-11-2021 05:14PM

Medved is the Russian but Djokovic is the one who played the master-class chess there to get the break in the third to go 3-2 on his serve.

Using the slice to jinx Medved's rhythm after hitting the winners earlier in the game

Way to go still.

But Djokovic has broken him again.

Medved has cracked.

But it was Djokovic who broke him.

It's looking like a done deal.

One of Djokovic's great performances really.

Problem-solved on the fly like a boss maestro

Was really under the cosh from Medvedev and somehow did it

The sheer quality of it - what a match point even

Huge amount of winners in the match from both sides

WTA doesn't bear comparison - not even the same sport

Brilliant brilliant match

Most masters titles - another record.

The legend just gets bigger and bigger and the GOAT argument more and more redundant

Privileged to have these 2 guys at the top with a great rivalry producing top top-level tennis like that

07-11-2021 05:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118131498#Comment_118131498

Well fook me silly,

That has aged like a half-finished bottle of Buckfast left out in the sun for a week and a half with the top off.

Chapeau!

yerwanthere123 · 07-11-2021 05:43PM

My thoughts on Djokovic aside, I'd have preferred Medvedev to win anyway to keep the h2h tight and the rivalry interesting. Of course they could well have a rematch in Turin that Medvedev could win, but I don't want Djokovic to go too far ahead in the h2h before a likely rematch of next year's Australian Open final in January.

MisterAnarchy · 07-11-2021 06:09PM

Turned it on for a few minutes but turned it straight off.

The camera is way too low in Paris, the court looks square and tiny, it ruins the spectacle.

07-11-2021 06:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118132222#Comment_118132222

What?

Sacrilege.

Highest quality tennis match of the year.

2021 In Between Grand Slam Thread

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